30 Home Offices That Maximize Creativity

Home offices are some of the most difficult spaces to design. They are hard-working and often utilitarian in function but that doesn’t mean that the design has to be, too. Your home office should be an environment that helps you do your best work. We’ve gathered some of our favorite home offices and workspaces, each one full of character and impeccably designed, to act as inspiration for the home office of your dreams. Time to get to work!

Designer James M. Davie’s home office is full of whimsical patterns and storybook colors to help cultivate his creativity.

Photographer:

Angus Fergusson

Source:

House & Home January 2015

Designer:

James Davie

In a family home, having a desk in the main living space means it has to suit the space but also serve the needs of the entire family. This Marcel Breuer desk complements the Le Corbusier leather chairs, tying the whole room together.

Photographer:

Michael Graydon

Source:

House & Home January 2015

Sometimes a home office just needs to be a quiet place to think and write. Here a slim no-frills desk is all that’s needed, while the spectacular floor-to-ceiling window gives an incredible view.

Photographer:

Virginia MacDonald

Source:

House & Home March 2015

Designer:

Katherine Newman

For designer Allison Willson of Sarah Richardson design, her home office is tucked into a corner in the den. A bank of wall units from Ikea provides much-needed storage while keeping things neat and tidy.

Photographer:

Angus Fergusson

Source:

House & Home February 2015

Designer:

Allison Willson, Sarah Richardson Design

In this west coast family home, smart use of space was essential. Tucking the family computer, books and momentos into a corner in the kitchen kept things contained, and when company is over, the distressed sliding door can be moved over to hide it all.

Photographer:

Tracey Ayton

Source:

House & Home May 2016

The unusual layout of this house (the kitchen was in the middle of the house and without window) meant that the adjacent home office had to let in some natural light. The solution was this black frame window, which is oh-so-chic right now. To keep things light, a wall of subway tile and light blonde woods were used to complement the dark accents.

Photographer:

Colin Way

Source:

House & Home March 2016

Designer:

Nam Dang-Mitchell

Condo living can be a pain when you’ve got support pillars to work around. The homeowner here decided to use the architectural details to her advantage and set up her desk behind the pillar, using it to define the space. The richly hued desk and chairs are a fun contrast to the white walls and floors.

Photographer:

Angus Fergusson

Source:

House & Home January 2013

Designer:

Colomba Fuller with Tristan Fuller, Boychuk+Fuller

When news of baby number three broke, plans for a self-contained office were scrapped and the office was moved to this ground-floor nook. The bamboo chair works with the warm wood of the family heirloom desk.

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home March 2016

Designer:

Rachel Fox, Renard & Co.

In a bedroom alcove, a purpose-built floating desk and offset shelves creates a vignette that is equally practical and attractive.

Photographer:

Tracey Ayton

Source:

House & Home June 2013

In this Montreal loft, the office is located right off the main entrance along a wall of the wide hallway — an ingenious use of space. The dark oak stain brings out the warmth and gives it a 1960s vibe.

Photographer:

Jean Longpré

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House & Home September 2013

Designer:

Blazys Gérard

For busy creatives with a lot of home-office materials — fabrics, electronics or art supplies — a large piece of furniture, like this family-heirloom French Empire armoire, can hide all the clutter and is a smart alternative to built-ins.

Photographer:

Angus Fergusson

Source:

House & Home September 2013

Designer:

Montana Burnett

The ultimate in smart design, these flip-up desks are perfect for a pair of work-at-home creatives. The tops flip up to reveal a workspace underneath, allowing for post-it notes and inspiration to stay place even when the lid is down at night.

Photographer:

Eric Striffler

Source:

House & Home September 2013

Designer:

Caroline McKeough

A dark hue on the walls and drapery creates a cocooning effect in this home office, which opens onto the main staircase. The dark colors define the space, making it feel separate from the rest of the house — a must when working from home.

With a green sea-foamy color on the walls and white French Country furniture, this home office is dreamy and romantic. A kitchen table can be a stylish alternative to a desk — especially when the design of the room calls for something with character.

Photographer:

Donna Griffith

Source:

House & Home 2011

Designer:

Michael Penney

This basement office makes use of the naturally darker interior with a black floor and a dramatic red-painted brick wall. The gallery-style hanging of black and white photos combines with the striped rug for a graphic one-two punch.

Photographer:

Angus Fergusson

Source:

House & Home June 2011

Designer:

Barbara Purdy

The desk in this lively family home does double duty on the weekends as both a work desk and a bar for parties. The clean lines of the white desk lends itself easily to both.

Photographer:

Jeremy Freed

Source:

House & Home January 2016

Designer:

Samantha Farjo

Designer Jean Stéphane Beauchamp wanted his office to not only be a haven for industrious behavior but also serve as inspiration for clients when he meets them. The painted brick walls provide the perfect backdrop for his collection of original art and the reupholstered antique chair.

Photographer:

Monic Richard

Source:

House & Home August 2014

Designer:

Jean Stéphane Beauchamp

When redesigning her basement home office, designer Sarah Hartill opted to install built-ins for best use of space. She decked it out with wireless speakers and a vintage hand-crank pencil sharpener for a fun vibe.

Photographer:

Michael Graydon

Source:

House & Home August 2014

Designer:

Sarah Hartill

For the minimalists out there, a deconstructed trestle table and glass top is the ultimate in clean design. A mix of open and closed storage keeps things visually interesting.

Photographer:

Stacey Brandford

Source:

House & Home March 2014

Designer:

Lloyd Ralphs Design

In a large open family kitchen, a colorful rug delineates the office space, which is used by one of the homeowners during the day. The natural light from the bay window creates a dreamy spot to work.

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home October 2014

Designer:

Danielle Nicholas Bryk

A smart trick when faced with tight quarters is using a time-specific room for multiple purposes. In this breakfast area, only in use during meals, a grey-lavender desk fits in nicely and can be used at all other times of the day.

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home October 2014

Designer:

Katherine Newman

The recessed area around a fireplace surround can be the ideal spot for a small desk. This one was custom built for the space by the homeowners, and is a creative use of dead space. The cupboard and drawers conceal the printer, camera and other gadgets, keeping the main family room clutter-free.

Photographer:

Virginia MacDonald

Source:

House & Home September 2015

In the home of jewelry designer Maryam Keyhani, a small workspace was created on the third floor (seen here beyond the staircase). The airy glass table and white tuxedo chair keep sightlines open and ensure there’s continuity to the white-on-white scheme.

Photographer:

Virginia MacDonald

Source:

House & Home August 2011

Fresh flowers and pops of color go a long way in creating a workspace that inspires. A magenta desk lamp and pink glass vase with a bushel of hydrangeas tie in the playful window covering and abstract rug.

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home February 2015

Designer:

Kim Lambert

In the art studio/home office of artist and textile designer Virginia Johnson, having the ability to let her creative juices flow was essential. A large desk area and plenty of clear storage boxes help keep things open and airy. A simple white wall color lets her designs shine.

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home April 2015

Designer:

Litsa Trochatos, Christopher Knight and Jan Eleni Lemonedes

A silver 1920s army travel desk adds some polish to the simple white walls in this graphic home office.

Photographer:

Ashley Capp

Source:

House & Home April 2015

These days, thanks to technological advancements, a big desk isn’t always necessary. This kitchen nook is all the space needed for when working on a laptop or tablet. A fun chalkboard wall keeps things family-orientated.

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home November 2015

Designer:

Samantha Sacks

A tucked-away mahogany table with brass legs is just 24″ deep, but pulls out to be 48″ to serve as the home office when needed — the ideal small space solution!

Photographer:

Alex Lukey

Source:

House & Home August 2015

Designer:

Karen Cole

Deep file drawers behind one cabinet door increases the functionality of the space without disrupting the visual flow.